Though three Acts were thus passed, they formed but separate parts of one general plan of reform. Some little detail must be gone into as regards the system of local government thus initiated. For government in purely local matters--in each of the twenty-three largest parishes, definite Vestries, as distinguished from parishioners meeting in open Vestry, were constituted, the members thereof being elected by the householders of the respective parishes rated to the relief of the poor. The total number of members on any Vestry was not to exceed one hundred and twenty, and each year one-third of them were to retire, and an election to be held to fill their places. And as there were many parishes so small that to have constituted them separate local governing authorities would have perpetuated all the evils of small areas of local government, these small parishes were grouped together into "districts" of a fairly large size, for each of which--some fourteen in number--there was to be a governing body entitled "The Board of Works for the ---- District," the members thereof being elected, not directly by the electors, but by the smaller Vestries constituting the District. These new local governing bodies were thus representative bodies, the Vestries elected directly by the ratepayers, the District Boards indirectly elected; but both were constituted "the sanitary authority" for their respective areas, both were charged with the administration of local affairs, and so the term "Vestry" and the "District Board" may be taken as synonymous. The central body which was constituted for dealing with matters affecting London as a whole was named "The Metropolitan Board of Works." It was not directly elected by the ratepayers of London, but was elected by the aforesaid local authorities and by the "City." It consisted of forty-five members. Three were elected by "the Mayor, aldermen, and commons of the City of London in common council assembled." Each of the six largest Vestries elected two of their members to it; the other Vestries one each, and the District Boards of Works elected the remainder. It was thus representative of the whole of London--City and Metropolis included. Each year one-third of the members were to retire, and one-third to be elected in their place. This central Board was charged with many important duties affecting London as a whole. Foremost amongst them was the first essential of any sanitary well-being--the improvement of the sewerage and drainage of London. This new body superseded the Commissioners of Sewers, and was specially charged with the task of designing and carrying out "a system of sewerage which should prevent all or any part of the sewage within the metropolis from passing into the river Thames in or near the metropolis: and also make all such other sewers and works as they may from time to time think necessary for the effectual sewerage and drainage of the metropolis."